Car and air-brake coupling



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. THRESHER. CAR AND AIR BRAKBGOUPLING.

N0. 468,372 Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

tlllmlllm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2i W. H. THRESHBR.

GAR AND AIR BRAKE GOUPLING.

No. 468,372. 1 Patented Peb. 9, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM IIOBAR'I THRESHER, OF AMBOY, ILLINOIS.

CAR AND AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,372, dated February 9, 1892.

Application filed December S, 1890. Serial No. 373,995. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM HoBARr THREsHEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Amboy, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact-description of the improvements relating to my invention, as set forth in my patent, No. 439,200, dated October 2S, 1890, filed July S, 1889.

This invention relates to car-couplers, the main object of the invention being to provide acoupler which shall be perfectly automatic in the operation of coupling drawheads, train-pipes, and electric wires and one wherein the parts are so arranged that the greatest simplicity of construction and perfect action of the parts are attained, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained, and specifically pointed ont in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of the connecting-link, showing the arrangement of the pipes'and electric wires. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the draw-heads, showing the arrangement of the parts. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the draw-head with the connecting-link extended in position to be coupled and showing its connection` with the automatic couplingdever. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a sliding head, showing arms and anti-friction rollers, also the lower guide-plate, the upper guide-plate being removed and is shown at Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an under side View of the draw-head, showing the mechanism for operating the valves in the sliding heads. Fig. 6 is a lengthwise vertical central section through the drawhead.

The connecting-link herein described consists of a rear portion and a forward portion, both being in the same plane, whereas the portions of the connecting-link described in Iny original patent7 No. 439,260, were not so made, for reasons therein set forth and heren inafter stated.

The rear portion 1 of the connectingdink herein described is reduced in width to allow it to pass between the sliding heads instead of over said heads, as set forth in my patent, No. 439,260, as shown at Fig. 2, and thereby simplifying the construction and connection of the parts of thelink and economizing space within the draw-head. The forward portion of the connecting-link consists of two parallel plates lli, which form its upper and lower sides, and which also hold the connecting-arms 17, located in that portion of said link, in place, said connecting-arms 17, Fig. 2, being projections near the rear of the forward portion of the link, provided to engage the inner face of the end of the draw-head of which they are part, thus forming a connection between the draw-heads of two cars without straining the internal mechanism. Said connecting arms are placed between the plates 1J,- of the forward portion of the link. The pipes 2 and electric wires 14 are placed on the outside of this forward portion and open out through the neck of the link, my object in placing the pipes and wires on the outside of the connecting-link being to facilitate their inspection and repair, and also to obtain more space within the link for the operation of the iiukes 3, which I would make in the shape of a part of a circle, the pivotbolt upon which they turn being the center, and as every part of the arc used in the shape of the iiukes is equally distant from the center said dukes of this shape can be operated to better advantage in making close coupv lingsas in the case of passenger-cars*which operation requires the least possible slack. I would also make the inner face of the ends of the draw-head conform to the shape of the circular iukes, thereby extending the point of contact. The pins 4, projecting from the under sidemof the connecting-link, are the ends of bolts, the portions of said bolts above the pins 4 being somewhat reduced, so as to form a shoulder under the link, pass vertically through the link, and thereby bolt together the plates lel, forming the upper and lower sides of the forward portion of the link, and also hold in place the connecting-arms located in that part of said link, the object of the pins 4 being to provide against the rearward movement of the connecting-link while engaging thel sliding heads, which is accomplished by said pins entering vertical slots l5 in the bottom of the draw-head when the link is in position to be coupled, as shown at Fig. 3.

The automatic coupling-lever 5 is pivoted IOO , The guide-plates 8 (shown at Figs. 2

near the outer end of the draw-head, and to the lower end of said lever is pivoted a link 5, terminating in aloop orthimble 6. Nhen it is desired to make the entire coupling automatically, the thimble 6 is placed over the end of the connecting-link lever 7. The free end of the lever 5 is then in position to be engaged by the opposing draw-head, and as the draw-heads approach conj uuction thelevers 5 and 7 will assume the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, thereby operating the llinkes and valves automatically. The shape of lever 5 and its pivotal connection with the draw-head are subject to modification, according to the position in which it is desired to operate it. and 4) are horizontal plates secured to the upper and under sides of the sliding heads. Said plates project beyond the inner faces of said heads suiciently to guide the end of the connecting-link as it enters the draw -head. l would make that portion of the bottom of the draw-head forward of the sliding heads on a slightly-higher plane to admit of the end of the connecting-link passing over the lower guide-plates; also, l would have the upper guide-plates iare upward at their outer edges to facilitate connection of the link and heads. By this arrangement of guide-plates the perfeet connection of link and heads is insured by bringing the pipe-openin gs in the connectin g-link and the sliding heads always opposite.

The arms S21- are pivoted to the outer side of the sliding head and are provided'with antifriction rollers 9, which come in contact with the inner sides of the draw-head as said sliding heads are reci procated, thereby reducing the friction produced by the pressure of the sliding heads upon the connecting-link, said pressure being exerted by elastic cushions 9%, placed between said heads and the arms 8%, pivoted to said heads and thereby maintaining the required constant pressure on the pipe connections with the least possible friction.

The mechanism for operating the valves in t-he sliding heads consists of the peculiarshaped lever 10, provided with an outwardprojecting wing 11 and an arm 12. This lever is secured to the stem of the valves located in the forward end of the sliding head. Said stem projects from the heads through the bottom ot' the draw-head and there secured to thelever 10, as above set forth. The operation of this lever will now be explained. When the lever 10 occupies the position as shown at Fig. 5, the valves are open and must remain so, as the stud 16, secured to the under side lof the draw-head, is in contact with the inner face of the lever 10 and the arm 12 is in coutact with one of the tubular studs projecting from the sliding head through the bottom of the draw-head, as described in original Patent No. 439,260. Said contact of the arm 12 with above tubular stud limits the movement of the lever 10 and keeps the inner face of said lever in contact with the stud 16, so that any further movement of the sliding head rearward, or any movement forward until the outward-projecting Wing 11 comes in contact with the stud 16 will not change the position of the lever 10; but any further movement Of the head forward after the wing 1l is in contact with the stud 16 will cause the lever 10 to assume a position at right angles with that shown at Fig. 5, and thereby close the valves.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentf 1. ln a car-coupler, the combination of a draw-head and a straight connecting-link, the upper and lower sides of the forward portion of the link being formed of plates and having between said plates circular flukes, that part of the link back of the portion already described being so formed as to pass between the sliding heads, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination of a straight link, circular flukes having a connection with the link, pipes passing on the outside of the link, and valves at the pipeopenings, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination of a straight connecting-link, circular ilukes having a connection with the link, and pipes and electric wires carried on the link and v terminating at or near the pipe-openings in suitable connection plates 14%, coinciding with similar plates ou the sliding heads, substantially as set forth.

4t. ln a car-coupler, the combination of a connecting-link, pipes and electric wires carried by the link, circular flukes having a connection with the link, and studs passing vertically through the link and the connectingarms in the link.aud extending below the under side of said link, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination of a draw-head, a connecting-link, and an automatic coupling-lever, said lever having a long and a short arm and pivoted near the forward end of draw-head, the long arm of Said lever being connected at its lower end with the lever of the connecting-link bymeans of a chain or link terminating in aloop or thimble and operating said connecting-link lever, thereby opening tlukes andfvalves automatically, substantially as set forth.

`6. In a car-coupling, the combination of sliding heads with horizontally-projecting plates secured to their upper and under sides, said plates serving as guides for the engaginglink, substantially as set forth.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination of sliding heads provided with horizontally-proj ectiu g plates and arms carr iin g anti-friction rollers on the sides of said heads engaging the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

8. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with vertical slots in the lower side and sliding headsprovided with pro- IOC IIO

j ectiug plates arranged to allow the conuect- 9. In a car-coupler, the combination of slidan angular lever under the draw-head secured ing heads, a connecting-link engaging the to the stem of the valves in said sliding heads, heads, and means for adjusting the pressure said lever on its angular surface engaging between the heads and link and reducing the with a stud secured to the under side of the 5 friction of sliding heads engaged with drawi draw-head, the valves being opened and closed I5 head, substantially as set forth. automatically, substantially as described.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination of WILLIAM I-IOBART THRESHER. heads provided With arms carrying rollers and 'Witnesses elastic cushions or springs between said arms DWIGHT IV. SLAUTER,

1o and heads, Valves at Ithe pipe-openings, and CHARLES A. CHURCH. 

